Middleton versus North Reading (Boston, Cambridge: houses, neighborhood, to buy)

[Gagnon007]

Hi friends, we have been looking at houses for the last year mostly in Andover area but didn’t find any. We found a few that we liked , but they got taken away before we could even put in an offer . We expanded our search to Middleton and North Reading. We don’t know much about both of these towns . Would greatly appreciate any insights from people living in these areas or around. My concerns are mostly about schools, diverse community, family friendliness and activities for kids. Do you recommend one town versus the other ? We did put in an offer on a house in North Andover , but the sellers got emotional and said they need more time to think. There might be a house popping up in North Reading soon that might interest us , & we are torn whether to buy this house right away or wait for the sellers changing their mind in North Andover. Again, the same question - any insights on North Andover versus North Reading for schools & kid friendly activities ?

Thanks very much in advance !

[sal1181]

Hi! I've been a North Andover resident for 10.5 years. It is a wonderful family friendly town. In regards to schools Kindergarten is free in North Andover and it's a full day program. All Kindergarten kids go to the same school The Anne Bradstreet Early childhood center which is about 3 years old. Prior to this the K kids would attend K at there assigned neighborhood elementary school. In order to reduce class sizes a new school was built for K and this freed up classrooms in Elementary schools. There are 2 farms in town that offer kid activities, youth center, town pond for residents only and several great restaurants in town

[NRmember10]

Hi!

My wife and I moved to North Reading a couple years ago and have loved every minute of it. We too looked in Andover and Middleton for our search but ultimately fell in love with North Reading's small-town vibe. We both work in Cambridge and after doing a few trial runs found that we saved ~10-15 minutes from the North Reading location. I'm sure you have done your own homework, but the schools in each town are all comparable, and we have been very impressed with the quality of the teachers. If anything, one of our concerns with both Middleton and Andover was the size of the high school and the increased chance of being lost in the shuffle amongst such a large student population.

With that being said, North Reading is certainly less diverse than Andover but has been undergoing a transformation over the last 10 years, which began with the development of Ipswich River Park and new high school. One thing that sold us on the town is the level of development the town is planning to commit to in the next 5-10 years. A rail-trail through town connecting Wilmington and Salem is in the planning stages and they are currently soliciting bids to redevelop the center of town and Route 28 (https://www.northreadingma.gov/sites...tes/12-1_0.pdf). It has been a great place to live during covid due to the extensive network of sidewalks and things to do.

Shoot me a message if you have any more questions and good luck!

[BosYuppie]

North Reading puts you closer to Boston, easier/better highway and commuter rail access.

[Shizim]

N. Reading taxes are high compared to Middleton

[gf2020]

You know what they say about Middleton and North Reading? It's not Lynnfield.

[sal1181]

FYI You have to pay for full day Kindergarten in North Reading. It’s all septic as well

[BostonMike7]

Middleton has a nice driving range...with cows.

[Gagnon007]

Originally Posted by sal1181

FYI You have to pay for full day Kindergarten in North Reading. It’s all septic as well

Thank you Sal1181. Do we have to pay for it only if its full day or even if its for half day? How is it in North Andover, I thought it was the same situation.

[Gagnon007]

Originally Posted by NRmember10

Hi!

My wife and I moved to North Reading a couple years ago and have loved every minute of it. We too looked in Andover and Middleton for our search but ultimately fell in love with North Reading's small-town vibe. We both work in Cambridge and after doing a few trial runs found that we saved ~10-15 minutes from the North Reading location. I'm sure you have done your own homework, but the schools in each town are all comparable, and we have been very impressed with the quality of the teachers. If anything, one of our concerns with both Middleton and Andover was the size of the high school and the increased chance of being lost in the shuffle amongst such a large student population.

With that being said, North Reading is certainly less diverse than Andover but has been undergoing a transformation over the last 10 years, which began with the development of Ipswich River Park and new high school. One thing that sold us on the town is the level of development the town is planning to commit to in the next 5-10 years. A rail-trail through town connecting Wilmington and Salem is in the planning stages and they are currently soliciting bids to redevelop the center of town and Route 28 (https://www.northreadingma.gov/sites...tes/12-1_0.pdf). It has been a great place to live during covid due to the extensive network of sidewalks and things to do.

Shoot me a message if you have any more questions and good luck!

Thank you so much for the detailed information. What age are your kids? The house we are looking at is affiliated with LD Batchelder. Do you know if they have pre school as well? I looked at the town plan for the next ten years and was very impressed at what the town is trying to accomplish. Looks like a good place to invest. How long does it take for you to get to Cambridge & what time do you leave? I might have to go to Cambridge depending on the COVID situation as well.